Preparing Your Manuscript

Preparing your book manuscript is the most important first task a writer will complete. But most writers do not prepare their book that well because they are not typesetters and they simply are copying and pasting their stories and poems into a desktop software program without any direction. Does it matter how you prepare your manuscript? Well, that all depends on if you are sending the book to a printer or to a publishing house for publication.

Submitting to a Printer
Most printers want the actual book to be press-ready. This means that the entire book should be ready for publication without the printer having to actually work on your specific project. The printer's job is to print and bound your book, not typeset the interior of the book. The book cover should be designed by a Graphic Designer. This can be done via a local designer or designing your book cover on Desktop Software like Adobe Pagemaker, PhotoShop or Quark Express. The interior of your book should be typeset, which means, the technical aspects of the book will be worked on by an typesetter who will format the manuscript's margins, page set up, book size, and placement of text on each section of the book, this also includes ensuring that the interior, if it has images, will be grayscaled for publication. The interior also will need to have consistency on each section as far as font on each page, or chapter, and text being placed on the same page or same way throughout the entire manuscript. Most writers do not have to be bogged down by this aspect, but if you are self-publishing you will have to prepare both the interior and exterior of the book. Most writers use Microsoft Word, WordPerfect or Microsoft Works to prepare their book manuscripts and utilize Adobe Acrobat to prepare the actual press-ready file to be submitted to the printer. When submitting Adobe Acrobat it will be in pdf format and all fonts need to be embedded in the file in order to be publication ready.

The first steps to the interior process would be for the typesetter to go into the body of the document and set up the page setup, with the book size, headers, footers, and all margins in the set up dialogue box. After setting up the document, the typesetter will then proceed to set up the indentations, tabs, and select the fonts used for the book, and then copy and paste the book manuscript into the body of the book. Before this is completed, it is suggested that the writer have an editor completely edit the book manuscript, this includes line editing, proofreading and advanced tasks. Advanced tasks may include reading the material for consistency, run on sentences, punctuation, and editing errors. Most writers employ an editor to do this task. The price for editing can range from $2.00 per page or be priced on word count of the entire manuscript. Different editors charge different prices. After the book has been edited then a clean version of the book should be placed into the interior of the book.

When a writer feels the book is ready for publication, and the typesetter has completely "blocked" the book - that is worked on the interior of the book, then the writer can approve the book for publication, submit the press-ready book to a printer and wait for the galley process to occur. Many printers turn around time is within 3-4 weeks depending on their publication schedule. Once the book has been printed, the writer has an opportunity to review an actual copy of the book and one book will be sent to the writer for review. When the writer receives that galley book, they should completely review each page of the entire book to see if the physical book contains what they wanted. Taking time to review the book for errors or misconsistencies will save time and embarrassment. The last thing a writer will want is a book that is not up to industry standards. After reviewing the book, the writer contacts the printer and confirms the book is okay, but if the book is not, the galley period is the time to inform the printer of editing problems that need to be fixed. Since the book was submitted press-ready, it would be the writer's responsibility to adjust the issues within the interior or the cover. Then once that is done, the book will be resubmitted, and go through the final publication process. It sounds like a long process and it is. This process requires lots of patience with the printer, typesetter and the writer.

Submitting to a Publisher
If a writer is submitting their manuscript to a publisher, it may be slightly different. The publisher's responsibility would be to take ownership with completing the interior and exterior of the book for the writer. The writer would select a publishing package, book size, cover, and submit the book in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect or other Desktop Publishing Software. Once the writer pays a flat fee, the publisher takes the manuscript and formats the book. The publisher may assign an Publishing Representative to work with the writer to ensure that the interior and exterior of the book is completed to the writer's satisfaction. The writer may sign an exclusive or non-exclusive contract, submit their work, via electronical submission, including jpg files for author photos, customized covers, or other interior files like tables and charts. An exclusive contract with the publishing house would grant the right for the writer to sign over full ownership to the publisher, whereas non-exclusive contract would grant the writer to shop their manuscript to any publisher they wanted without a penalty. An exclusive contract would have a specific time frame. The non-exclusive contract may be a shorter time frame for the writer and is a more flexible option for the writer. Other forms the writer will complete may be an Independent Contractor form - W-9, for tax purposes. Once the writer pays the flat fee, fills out the forms, and contracts, the work is in the publisher's hands and the publishing representative will make sure that all aspects of the book will be completed. The writer simply waits for the publication process to occur and within a three to six month period, a tradeback paper book will be completed. Once the book is completely the writer is an published author with a book that can be placed in a traditional store.

Copyrighting Issues
A writer should have sent a copy of the entire book to the Library of Congress, by paying the $45.00 flat fee for copyrighting the book. A writer will attach the entire book, fill out the Short Form TX, and send a check or money order payable to the Library of Congress for processing. It will take about 3 to 4 months to receive the actual seal from the Library of Congress. When the Form TX is sent back to the writer it will have a seal on the form and that will be the indication that it's a legal form. With this legal form, it's impossible for someone to steal your original work.

Whether you choose a printer or a publisher, once you decide to bring to life a story or poetry book that has been written by you, make sure you prepare it well, with an editor or a typesetter. In choosing a publisher, research them well and feel confident that your work is in good hands. Make sure to have plenty of patience on hand because publishing is not a quick process at all.

Additional Tips:

•Make sure you have included your entire book, not half of it.
•Go to the bookstore and review the same type of book you want to publish.
•Be patient with the printer or publisher.
•Don't make it hard on the publisher by not preparing your book well.
•While your manuscript is being worked on, begin to think of your marketing plan.

Once a writer decides to put into the world his or her book, it can be life changing. Put your best foot forward by preparing your book well. Understand that it is a powerful thing to see your name and title in a book. Be prepared for a lot of work once the book has been completed. Have fun with the process and let others help you showcase your work.

I hope you find these tips helpful. Thanks for reading!